BILL NUMBER: AJR 17	CHAPTERED  08/19/99

	RESOLUTION CHAPTER   77
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE   AUGUST 19, 1999
	ADOPTED IN SENATE   AUGUST 16, 1999
	ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY   JUNE 10, 1999
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY   JUNE 3, 1999

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Aroner
   (Coauthors:  Assembly Members Havice, Jackson, Keeley, Kuehl,
Longville, Migden, Romero, Shelley, Strom-Martin, and Washington)
   (Coauthors:  Senators Chesbro, Solis, and Vasconcellos)

                        MAY 3, 1999

   Assembly Joint Resolution No. 17--Relative to persons with
disabilities.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AJR 17, Aroner.  Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999.
   This measure would urge the United States Congress to pass the
Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 in order to meet the urgent
demands of people with disabilities who work or want to work across
the nation.




   WHEREAS, In California and elsewhere, throughout a prolonged
period of economic well-being and record low unemployment rates,
recent national and California studies both have unacceptable
findings that only one-third of adults with disabilities nationally
and in California hold part-time or full-time jobs; and
   WHEREAS, In these same studies, 75 percent of those not working
stated they want to work; and
   WHEREAS, The lack of access to private health insurance or the
lack of continuing access to Medi-Cal or Medicare is the main
obstacle individuals with significant disabilities face when working
or returning to work; and
   WHEREAS, The Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) work incentive rules have the
potential to be effective but are underutilized, overly complex, and
inconsistently administered.  Social Security work incentives are
used by only a small fraction of those eligible and often result in
benefit overpayments that must be repaid by the payee; and
   WHEREAS, People with disabilities who are SSDI beneficiaries and
SSI recipients have limited choice in employment services; and
   WHEREAS, On January 28, 1999, Senator James M. Jeffords, Senator
Edward M.  Kennedy, Senator William V. Roth, Jr., and Senator Daniel
Patrick Moynihan, introduced Senate Bill 331, cited as the "Work
Incentives Improvement Act of 1999," to expand the availability of
health care coverage for working individuals with disabilities,
establish a Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program in the Social
Security Administration to provide these individuals with meaningful
opportunities to work, and for other purposes; and
   WHEREAS, On March 18, 1999, Representative Rick A. Lazio,
Representative Michael Bilirakis, Representative Nancy L. Johnson,
Representative Henry A.  Waxman, Representative Tom Bliley, Jr.,
Representative Bob Matsui, Representative Fortney (Pete) Stark,
Representative Brian Bilbray, Representative Steve Horn, of
California and other states, introduced House Resolution 1180, cited
as the "Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999," a measure similar
to that introduced in the Senate; and
   WHEREAS, The federal act, as introduced, would provide states with
the option and incentive grants to set up programs to extend
medicaid coverage to certain classes of SSDI and SSI beneficiaries
who work, extend Medicare for SSDI beneficiaries who work, provide
more choice of employment services, and establish a $2 for $1 earned
income offset demonstration project for SSDI beneficiaries; and
   WHEREAS, The federal act, as introduced, contains strong work
incentive and planning provisions for individuals with disabilities
who work or want to work, and provisions for community work incentive
planners to help individuals understand and use federal and state
work incentive programs, Social Security specialists in work
incentives at field offices to disseminate accurate information,
protection and advocacy assistance when an individual's situation is
negatively impacted as a result of work, and an advisory panel to
counsel the Commissioner of Social Security and other federal
agencies on employment and work incentive programs; and
   WHEREAS, The interconnected provisions of the federal act work in
concert to remove work barriers for people with disabilities; and
   WHEREAS, Californians with disabilities want to live and work side
by side with others in their communities and this goal can begin to
happen with passage of this historic national legislation; and
   WHEREAS, It is the California Legislature's strongest belief that
people have the responsibility and right to meaningful employment
opportunities; now, therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of California,
jointly, That the Legislature affirms its endorsement of the federal
"Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999," and urges the United
States Congress to pass this act at once in order to meet the urgent
demands of people with disabilities who work or want to work across
the nation; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United
States, the Senate Majority Leader, the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, the Chairpersons of the Senate Committees on
Appropriations, Budget, and Finance, and to the Chairpersons of the
House Committees on Appropriations, Budget, Commerce, and Ways and
Means, and to each Senator and Representative from California in the
Congress of the United States.
